Bottle sorter



Jan. 28, 1958 G. l. FOWLER ET AL 2,821,302

` BOTTLE soRTER Filed April 29, 1954 3 Sheets-Shree?l l Jan. 2S, 1958 G. l'. F'OWLER ET A1. 2,823,392

BOTTLE soRTER Filed Apr-11 29, 1954 s sheets-sheet 2 L nvemor y Gerald A.%wet @www @JM/Tissu :Wimax f@ Jmdm/ Jan, 28, E958 G. I. FOWLER ET AL 2,821,302

BOTTLE soRTER Filed April 29-1954 s sheets-sheet 5 ,3 y; ham/kw HL a , A Mmmm?? This invention relates to a device for .electronically sorting bottles as to color, size, type and like.

In beverage bottling works, considerable time and labor is lost in sorting out the various styles .and brands of bottles. This is due to the fact .that most bottling companies bottle various brand name b everages and the unsorted bottles returned for relling are -of diierent .characteristics lused only for their particular iluid. While this problem is faced by beverage bottling companies, it is also encountered by all ,that receive a multitude of .returned empty bottles.

Therefore the principal object .of our invention is to provide an automatic bottle sorter 4that will divide a mass of bottles into kinds, shapes and colors.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bottle sorter that is easily adjusted for discharging selected bottles into .diiierent receiving gates or passageways.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a bottle sorter Vthat is easily adjusted and operated.

Still further objects of our invention are .to provide a tbottle sorter that is economical `in manufacture, and .durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent lto those skilled in the art.

,Our invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as `hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in vour claims, and illustrated in the `acconlpanying drawings, in which:

Pig. l is a perspective view of a portion of our device ready for use,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of one of the selector units and is taken 4on line 3 3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, rejecting a bottle .that is dilerent in character than the bottle illustrated in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a top diagrammatic view showing the selection of one type of bottle,

Fig. 6 is also a top diagrammatic view showing the selection of a different type of bottle than the ones selected in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is also a top diagrammatic view showing the selection of bottles dilering from either those selected in Fig. 5 or Fig. 6.

ln these drawings we show two selecting units in the process, capable of dividing simultaneously at least three types of bottles. Obviously, one unit can be used to obtain a specific type of bottle from many types of bottles passing through it. inasmuch as the two bottle selectors are indentical, we will confine our description of the same to one unit.

Any suitable frame may be used such as the members its and 11 shown in Fig. l. Rotatably supported in the frame and suitably powered is an ordinary endless carrying belt 12. Above the belt and at the entrance is a vertical walled chute comprising the two spaced apart walls 13 and 14. The numeral 1S designates a rigid States Patent IC 2,821,302 fPatented Jan. 28, 1958 2 bracket forwardof the chute and extending .over the belt as shown in Fig. l. A center vertical post 16 extends downwardly from the bracket and is positioned in the center longitudinalplane of the chute. The numeral 17 designates `a gate hinged on the rear side lof the post and extending toward the chute. Forward of the post are two parallel chutes above the belt formed by ythe three walls 18, 19 and 20 as shown in Pig. 2. Obviously, if the gate is swung tothe left, any bottles being carried by the belt will be guided into the chute ,formed by ,the walls 19 and 20, and if the gate is swung to the right,

.the bottles will be directed into the chute formed by the walls 18 and 19.

r'lhe numeral 2.1 designates a bracket arm pivoted ,to the post i6 and its other end detachably secured yto the right side of the bracket frame `15 by bolts .or like 22. The numeral 23 designates an ordinary electricity -actuated solenoid on the outer end of the bracket 21. This solenoid .has .its actuating arm 24 pivotallyand .rotatably connected to the gate 17 as shown in Fig. 4. A spring 25 yieldingly holds the sliding solenoid arm outwardly when the solenoid is not electrically energized. Thus, when the solenoid is energized, the arm will be `retracted, pulling the Varm to the right and causing the -gate -to direct a bottle into the chute between the walls 18 Aand 19. When the solenoid is not activated, :the .gate .will be swung by the action of the spring to the left, thereby directing a bottle or bottles into the chute .between the walls .19 and 2li. When the ybracket arm 21 is swung over to the left, and fastened to the left side of the .frame bracket 15, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 3, the reversal in the operation of the `gate will result. This 4easy changeover gives a selection without changing the :light receiving and sending portion, which we will now describe in detail.

From the drawings it will be noted that we use a light beam to selectively detect the various bottles. This .can be'accomplished in a variety of ways, i. e., bythe angular adjustment of the light source andthe light receiver, or by the adjustment of a rheostat to .control the light intensity. Also, intensity of light may be controlled `by longitudinal lens adjustment.

Mounted on the `left side ofthe vframe 1.0 is a vertical bracket 27. The numeral 23 `designates the output lamp secured to the upper `portion of the bracket 27 by any suitable means such as bolt 29. By loosening the nut of the bolt 29, the lamp may be placed at any desired angle, after which the nut of .the bolt is tightened. Also on the bracket 27 and below the lamp 28 is the light receiver 3i), also pivotally secured by bolt means 31. Also by loosening the bolt means 31, -the light receiver 30 may be adjusted to the proper angle for a given bottle after which the bolt means 31 is tightened. The light intensity from the lamp 28 may be controlled by a rheostat 32.

The entire wiring of our device and its operation is illustrated in Figs. 5, .6 and 7. Obviously by the angular adjustment of the light source and receiver, and by .the thermostat control of light intensity, the electrical contact .can be made by the light receiver to close -a circuit and actuate the solenoid which in turn operates the gate 17.

The vacuum photo-tubes may be used as a selecting means or if desired, photo-tubes with especial spectral sensitivity may be used. Such tubes are made by the Continental Electric Company, Geneva, Illinois, and we lay no claim to photo-tubes per se. We nd, however, that even when ordinary tubes are used, good results may be ohtained merely by the angular adjustment of the lamps. While we show light reflection as the control means, obviously it is possible to merely have the light pass through the glass and when this is done, only a rheostat intensity asignada v i adjustment is necessary. Most given brand'name bottles have a color variation, although to the casual observer they look identical. It is generally considered that a Coca-Cola bottle is of a clear glass and similar to many other clear glass bottles. This, however, is not a fact and with our device, the light reection from a Coca-Cola bottle is dilerent from that of many other clear glass bottles. When the bottle is of an entirely diierent shade, such as a Seven-Up bottle, the device does not have to be critically adjusted to distinguish such a bottle from that of a Coca-Cola bottle.v

'We also nd that most brand bottles are of different shapes and therefore reilect light diierently and are able to' Veasily andquickly operate the gate for receiving or rejecting a bottle. This can be accomplished by the intensity of the light reection and if theV bottles are decidedly of diierent shape, the reliection of light will in one instance be received by the light receiver and in another case will be unable to do so. This difference is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. In Fig. 3, the device, is set to accept Coca-Cola bottles and rejecting others. Fig. 4 shows that the reected light does not strike light receiving unit and therefore the bottle shown in Fig. 4 is rejected. However, by using light intensity as the medium of operation, bottles of the same shape but of different reecting characteristics can be sorted. When only one unit is used, and it is desired to accept a different bottle than the ones being accepted, the light means may be left without correction and merely the bracket arm 21 swung over to the left as shown by broken lines in Fig. 3, thereby reversing the operation of the gate. This reversal of the gate operating arm may be desirable even when more than one operating unit is employed.

In-Figs. 5, 6 and 7 I show two complete detecting and sorting units. Any number of units may be used in series depending upon the kinds of bottles desired to be sorted in one operation. Various combinations may be employed to obtain the desired results.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7, we show three types of bottles being fed into the device, any one of which may be selectively obtained. With either of the adjustments illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 or 7, all three types of bottles progressing into the machine will be separated from each Y other. The adjustment diierence, however, obtained by these three showings does give .a selection of the bottles desired to pass from the machine directly to the bottling equipment and this is selectively obtained regardless of lthe fact that all three types of bottles are separated. When two units are employed, all of their chute portions are in line as shown in the drawings. To facilitate the travel of the bottles on the belts and through the various chute portions, we have provided spring guided guard bars 33 on certain of the chute Walls as shown in Fig. 2. The electric circuit hook-up of the units is illustrated in Figs. 5, 6and 7.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of our bottle sorter Without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims, any modied forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

We claim:

1. In a device of the class described, an endless belt,

= -a bracket frame over said endless belt, a gate hinged to said bracket frame for selectively guiding a bottle to left or right, a bearing bracket pivoted at one end to said bracket frame and capable of being swung to extend either to the right or left of its pivot point, a means for detachably securing the said bearing bracket in either of its extended positions, a solenoid on said bearing bracket, an actuating arm extending from said solenoid and rotatably and hingedly secured to said gate, a light producing means, and a light responsive means operatively electrically connected to said solenoid.

2. lIn a device of the class described, an endless belt, a bracket framerover said endless belt, a gate hinged to said bracket frame for selectively guiding a bottle to left or right, a bearing bracket pivoted at one end to said bracket frame and capable of being swung to extend either to the right or left of its pivot point, a means for detachably securing the said vbearing bracketin either of its extended positions, a solenoid on said bearing bracket, an actuating arm extending from said solenoid and rotatably and hingedly secured to said gate, a light producing means, a means for regulating the light intensity of said light producing means, y and a light responsive means operatively electrically connected to said solenoid.

3. In a device of the class described, an endless belt, a bracket frame over said endless belt, a gate hinged to said bracket frame for selectively guiding a bottle to left or right, a bearing bracket pivoted at one end to said bracket frame and capable of being swung to extend either to the right or left of its pivot point, a means for detachably securing the said bearing bracket in either of its extended positions, a solenoid on said bearing bracket, an actuating arm extending from said solenoid and rotatably and hingedly secured to said gate, a light producing means, and an adjustable light responsive means operatively electrically connected to said solenoid.

4. In a device of the class described, an endless belt, a bracket frame over said endless belt, a gate hinged to said bracket frame for selectively guiding a bottle to lett or right, a bearing bracket pivoted at one end to said bracket frame Vand capable of being swung to extend either to the right or left of its pivot point, a means for detachably securing the said bearing bracket in either of its extended positions, av solenoid on said bearing bracket, an actuating arm extending from said solenoid and rotat- -ably and hingedly secured to said gate, a light producing means, and a light receiving means operatively connected to said solenoid.

References lCited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,427,817 Hutchinson Sept. 5, 1922 1,487,000 William Mar. 18, 1924 2,000,403 Maul May 7, 1935 2,317,559 Stout Apr. 27, 1943 2,346,583 Jackson Apr. 1l, 1944 2,369,557 Gettelman Feb. 13, 1945 2,602,534 Hartmann July 8, 1952 2,609,926 Hartig et al. Sept. 9, 1952 2,627,975 Ekstrom et al. Feb. 10, 1953 2,636,603 Feick et al. Apr. 28, 1953 2,701,055 Strom Feb. 1, 1955 

